Issue 8 Wednesday, February 7, 2007

San Marino v. Ireland

Cult hero

JESUS Christ saved the world and John Sheridan saved Jack Charlton’s Ireland. Coming into the autumn of 1993, the Boys In Green were riding the crest of a wave — but when the wheels began to fall off the wagon the midfield maestro stepped up to save the day. We had begun our quest for a place at USA 1994 in rip-roaring fashion, holding European Champions Denmark and the mighty Spanish to away draws while seeing off the minnows with ease. Qualification looked secured as the run-in approached with a victory over Javier Clemente’s side at Landsdowne Road the only requirement to secure a place in the sun with a game to spare. But as we all know by now, that October day in Dublin turned into something of a disaster. Big Jack’s charges found themselves 3-0 down after just half an hour and the team faced the prospect of requiring at least a draw from their final group game against Northern Ireland at a hostile Windsor Park. Alan McLoughlin’s famous equaliser in the subsequent clash at the famous Belfast venue is generally regarded as the goal that secured our passage stateside. But in truth, Sheridan’s goal to make it 3-1 in theSpanish match was the key. 

The game was a lost cause but the former Leeds and Sheffield Wednesday playmaker showed his characteristic style and composure to drive his 18- yard shot low past Andoni Zubizarretta and into the net. It was that strike that helped to put Ireland into the World Cup finals. By virtue of having scored more goals in the group stages than Denmark we took the crucial second place. But even at that point few would have predicted the titanic impact John Sheridan would have over the following year. So impressed was Charlton with Sheridan’s renaissance in the Irish jersey that when Niall Quinn was ruled out of the finals with cruciate knee ligament damage, he reverted to a 4- 5-1 formation with a central midfield combination of Roy Keane, Andy Townsend and the man himself. In doing so the former England player resisted the temptation to draft in strikers such as Tony Cascarino and David Kelly to the team — despite having huge regard for both hitmen.

In April 1994, Sheridan set up Tommy Coyne’s winner with a virtuoso through ball in that famous friendly against Holland in Tilburg. In May he scored Ireland’s 100th international goal and our first ever underneath the Landsdowne floodlight pitch with a bullet half-volley from 35 yards against Bolivia. June saw the maestro run the show against the Italians in the Giants Stadium in New York. Our finest ever performance was almost capped by a late second goal to add to Ray Houghton’s opener, but Sheridan was oh so unlucky to see his shot come back off the bar. http://www.sporting-heroes.net/files_football/SHERIDAN_John_19910522_SF_L.jpgThe snore-fest that was Ireland v Norway later in the group stages was memorable only for his audacious attempted chip of Eric Thorsvedt that dropped inches over. When the World Cup dream ended, many believed that Sheridan’s days in an Ireland jersey were numbered but in the subsequent European Championship qualifiers he scored two of our greatest ever goals.

Away to Latvia in September he buried a 25-yard left-footed thunderbolt after a quick fire one-two with John Aldridge, and then in November against Northern Ireland he delivered something of exquisite beauty. After a ten-man passing move, the Owls legend received a deft back-heel pass from Niall Quinn before side-stepping the last defender and tucking the ball under the advancing keeper. That was vintage Sheridan — but despite his majesty on the ball, Ireland’s hopes of a place in Euro 1996 were soon to fall apart. His last great moment came in the abandoned friendly against England at Landsdowne Road in February 1995. With Typical poise he measured that killer through ball to pick out David Kelly for a goal that blew the roof off the stadium...followed by a few seats off the stands when the English fans got going. The play-off defeat to the Dutch in Anfield later that  brought the curtain down on his international career. But we’ll always remember it was he who put us through to USA 1994 and the adventures that came with it and gave Jack Charlton two more years at the helm. More importantly, he was the man that showed the world we were more than just a kick and rush team. As a player, as a man, as an Ireland legend, John Sheridan, we salute you.

by Jonny Walls